Nic Maddinson guides NSW to win over an impressive Kane Richardson and the SA Redbacks

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A BLISTERING 85 from young gun Nic Maddinson trumped a brave innings by South Australia's Callum Ferguson as NSW claimed a 56-run victory in the one-day clash at the SCG on Thursday.

Maddinson's entertaining knock, his first one-day half-century of the summer, also overshadowed yet another impressive showing from Redbacks paceman Kane Richardson, who finished with 6-51 - his third five-wicket haul of the season.

The loss means SA may need to beat the Blues in the return fixture in Adelaide on Sunday to ensure they reach the final against Victoria.

But remarkably the bonus point win keeps the Blues' ultra-slim hopes of making the final alive - though that would require another bonus point win, and several results to fall their way.

Ferguson batted through pain after picking up a groin injury early on in his impressive 78 before falling to former Test paceman Trent Copeland (2-42).

But it wasn't enough to reel in the Maddinson-inspired target of 265, with South Australia starting behind the eight-ball when youngster Gurinder Sandhu (3-50) tore through their top order to reduce the visitors to 3-28.

Ferguson and Alex Ross (32 off 39) attempted to resurrect South Australia's flagging hopes with a 62-run partnership, but they departed in quick succession attempting to lift the runrate.

Richardson, who earned a $700,000 IPL contract with the Pune Warriors this month, then blasted 26 off 13 with two monstrous sixes - but when he was caught in the deep off young legspinner Adam Zampa (3-55 off 13 overs), the Redbacks' hopes of victory departed with him.

Earlier, it was Maddinson who stole the show on a dusty SCG wicket.

The 21-year-old's form in both short and long-form cricket has been unimpressive in the past 18 months - but turned that around with a brilliant Sheffield Shield century against Tasmania last week.

He backed up that bright innings with a powerful 74-ball knock, which included seven sixes, to drag NSW from a lethargic start to a match-winning total.

He put on 87 with Tim Cruickshank, who scored a patient 61, before a blistering 88-run partnership with Ben Rohrer which came at quicker than eight runs an over.

NSW's total could've been even more imposing had it not been for Richardson, who lifted his season tally to 21 scalps when he ran through the Blues tail after knocking over Maddinson's stumps.